After floating tenders 7 times, restoration of Mumbai’s Flora Fountain back on track
If all goes according to plan, contracts will be awarded within a month, and work on restoration of flora fountain, which began in early 2017, will be completed by December 2018.
After failing to get eligible bids six times in the past year, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) finally opened bids from tenders floated for the second phase of restoration of the 153-year-old Flora Fountain on Saturday.
If all goes according to plan, contracts will be awarded within a month, and work on restoration of flora fountain, which began in early 2017, will be completed by December 2018.
In December last year, BMC floated tenders for the seventh time for the second phase of the restoration, which includes beautification of the area around flora fountain.
It received two bidders this time, and Hi Tech Architects emerged the lowest bidder, after the sealed bid packets were opened on Saturday.
The previous six times that BMC floated tenders, it received only a single bidder quoting cost much higher than the BMC’s estimate. The civic body then revised the cost estimate and re-floated tenders.
A senior official from the civic body’s Heritage Cell said, “Heritage conservationist Vikas Dilawari, who is over-looking the restoration project will give his remarks about the lowest bidder. The administration will then send it to the standing committee for its approval. We may be able to complete the restoration by December end.”